The purpose of this study was to develop guidelines to enable the members of acne sufferers' support networks to become better sources of practical, emotional and social support. A literature study and an empirical investigation were done to investigate which factors could enable members of the acne sufferer’s support network to become better sources of support. A questionnaire was developed as an aid to identify the perceptions and emotions of acne sufferers, which was published on a website, (www.acnediaries.co.za) specifically designed for this purpose. Two semi-structured interviews with acne sufferers were also done to enrich the findings. Results of the study identified several guidelines for parents, teachers, siblings, friends and boyfriends or girlfriends of acne sufferers to enable them to give support to teenagers suffering from acne. / Further Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

L'évaluation de la qualité de vie des patients a une place centrale en santé, en particulier dans les recherches et les politiques de santé publique. De nombreux instruments de mesure sont développés et les discours sur la qualité de vie en santé se multiplient. Diverses approches du concept cohabitent. Mais ce développement et cette diversité s'accompagnent de doutes persistants sur la validité des concepts de qualité de vie en santé. Pour comprendre et peut-être réduire cette confusion, il faut d'abord s'accorder sur un niveau d'analyse commun du concept de qualité de vie en santé. Or, à notre connaissance, un tel niveau d'analyse n'existe pas. Ce niveau d'analyse est pourtant nécessaire pour expliciter, comparer et examiner les choix théoriques qui déterminent la conception de la qualité de vie, et surtout de la bonne qualité de vie, sous-jacente aux instruments de mesure. C'est la conceptualisation de la valeur, de ce qu'il y a de bon dans une vie qui est d'abord en jeu. Or ceci est occulté. En effet, l'approche de la qualité de vie en santé est conçue généralement, mais à tort, comme neutre par rapport à la valeur. Cette occultation de la valeur explique probablement pourquoi un cadre d'analyse commun des concepts en usage de qualité de vie liée à la santé fait défaut. A partir d'une compréhension de la logique de la valeur spécifique à la qualité de vie, nous tentons de développer ici ce cadre d'analyse conceptuelle. / The evaluation of quality of the patients' life is central in health, especially in Public Health research programs and policies. Many instruments are developed and discourses on health related quality of life grow in number and diversity. Several approaches and accounts of the concept coexist. However, this growth and diversity is synonymous with enduring doubts about the validity of the existing concepts of health related quality of life. In order to understand and maybe dissolve the confusion, we have first to agree on a common framework of analysis for the concept of quality of life. But, to our knowledge, this framework of analysis is not available. And yet this framework is necessary in order to explicit, compare and test the theoretical choices that determine the concept of quality of life, and most of all of the good quality of life, underlying the measuring instruments. It is indeed the conceptualization of value, of what is good in life, which is at stake. But this aspect is concealed: the approach of quality of life in health is generally but mistakenly conceived as value free or neutral. This concealment probably explains why a common framework of analysis of the existing concepts of health related quality of life is not available. From an understanding of the logic of value specific to quality of life, we try to develop such a framework of conceptual analysis.

Title: Comparison of the quality of life of persons diagnosed with intervertebral disc herniation in relation to surgical and conservative treatment. Objectives: The aim of the diploma thesis was the research and evaluation of the quality of life in patients with intervertebral disc lesion with and without surgery, assuming that both monitored groups will be treated with individual rehabilitation treatment. Methods: This research was carried out using a standardized Short Form 36 (SF - 36) questionnaire on quality of life based on health. The Czech version used corresponds to MUDr. Petra, Ph.D. (2000). The study was conducted at the Na Homolce hospital at the rehabilitation clinic, where appropriate respondents (n = 170) were selected for this research. The final results were divided into the respective age groups in both groups. Subsequently, a statistically significant deviation between the respective files was verified in each age group and therefore it can be said that there are no significant differences between the analyzed files. Effects: The average age of the respondents who underwent the surgery was 49.2 years, with the respondents treated conservatively at an average age of 47.6 years. In terms of total physical health (physical activity, physical limitation, physical pain, general...

Background Patient safety is an undisputable part of healthcare. The use of clinical practice guidelines, usually based on evidence-based practice/best practice, promotes patient safety and high quality care, reduces unnecessary patient suffering, and healthcare costs. Analysing results from venous blood specimen collection is one of the most commonly used services within healthcare, and a substantial number of decisions on diagnosis, treatment, and treatment evaluation are based on the results. Hence, the accuracy of these tests are vitally important. Earlier research has demonstrated that healthcare staff report suboptimal adherence to venous blood specimen collection guidelines together with the need for improved practices. Blood sample collection is carried out by several professionals, among them registered nurses and, as a consequence, nursing students too. University nursing students learn and practice venous blood specimen collection in one of their first semesters. After initial skill training at clinical skill laboratories, they continue to perform the task during clinical placements in various clinical settings. Few or no studies have been performed on nursing students, hence it seemed important to assess guideline adherence to venous blood specimen collection among university students as well as to further explore adherence to guidelines among healthcare staff. Therefore, the overall aim for this thesis was to explore adherence to, and factors influencing venous blood specimen collection guidelines practice among university nursing students and healthcare staff. Methods The thesis includes four studies. Study I-III had a quantitative, cross-sectional design, study IV had a qualitative approach. Study I included 164 healthcare staff from 25 primary healthcare centres. Study II included 101 nursing students in their 5th and 6th semesters, and study III included 305 nursing students in their 2nd, 4th, and 6th semesters. To assess adherence to venous blood specimen collection guidelines, data were collected using the Venous Blood Specimen Questionnaire, completed with background variables (I, II, III) and additional scales (III). Descriptive statistics, multilevel and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to analyse the data. In study IV, data were collected through five focus group interviews among 6th semester nursing students (n=26). Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results Workplace affiliation was found to explain variances in reported adherence between different primary healthcare centres. Associations between reported venous blood specimen collection practices and individual as well as workplace factors were revealed. Nursing students were found to increasingly deviate from guideline adherence during their education. Also among students, several associations between guideline adherence and other iv factors were revealed. Reported research use at clinical practice was associated with higher levels of adherence, as were higher capability beliefs regarding both evidence-based practice and academic ability. Analyses from focus group interviews summarised students’ reflections on deviations from VBSC guidelines in the overall theme ‘Striving to blend in and simultaneously follow guidelines’. Conclusion Both healthcare staff at primary healthcare centres and nursing students demonstrate decreasing levels of guideline adherence with time. Factors influencing adherence are both individual as well as contextual. This indicate that both students and staff are subjected to socialisation processes that influences levels of adherence. In order to enhance venous blood specimen collection practices and thereby patient safety, actions must be taken - both in healthcare clinical contexts and by educators. The use of models in practical skill training, and in the ambition to bridge the theory-practice gap may be the path to success. It is reasonable to assume that collaboration between, on the one hand, education representatives and on the other, supervising RNs in clinical settings, will be fruitful. Finally, by empowering students their self-efficacy may be strengthened, and hence their ability to maintain guideline adherence.

Questionnaires were sent by mail and e-mail to 143 members of the Sociological Practice Association. The purpose of the questionnaire was to measure the role expectations as qualities (competencies), role expectations as actions, and role enactments of the respondents'. An additional goal was to examine how respondents perceived their work to be sociological in nature, and how they saw their work as different from the practices of social workers, counselors, and psychologists. The first question that was addressed was, “Do sociological practitioners have clear and unambiguous role expectations for their work as practitioners?” The data showed that most role expectations measured as competencies were clear and unambiguous, and only a few were ambiguous and unclear. The second question addressed was, “Do sociological practitioners perceive their role enactments to differ from other helping professionals such as social workers, counselors, and psychologists?” The data showed that sociological practitioners do perceive their role enactments to be different because of their use of sociological theory and their focus on social structures. The final question asked was, “How do sociological practitioners perceive their work as sociological in theory, methods, or both?” The data showed that sociological practitioners perceive their work as sociological based on their use of sociological theory. Most respondents reported that they used common scientific methods, and few reported the use of psychological theory.

Health-related quality of life (HRQL) has become an important outcome in asthma, since traditional outcomes, such as respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function, might not entirely express the patient’s perception of the limitations caused by the disease. The aim of this thesis was to study HRQL in asthma and to analyse if HRQL was related to asthma onset and prognosis. Other aims were to identify determinants of low HRQL in clinically-verified asthmatics, and to study whether low HRQL was a predictor of mortality. In 1990, a self-administered questionnaire was completed by 12,560 individuals from three age groups (16, 30-39, and 60-69 years) in two counties of Sweden. In a second phase, all subjects who reported a history of obstructive respiratory symptoms (n = 1,851) and 600 randomly-selected controls were invited to a clinical investigation including spirometry, allergy testing, and assessment of HRQL with the Gothenburg Quality of Life instrument. In 2003, the eligible subjects in the cohort (n=11,282) were sent a new questionnaire. Mortality data in the cohort was followed up during 1990–2008 using data from the National Board of Health and Welfare Mortality Database. The 616 subjects with clinically-verified asthma 1990 had significantly lower HRQL than subjects without asthma. In the 2003 follow-up, the 305 subjects with persistent asthma had a lower HRQL than the 155 subjects who showed improvement in asthma during the follow-up. Subjects who had developed asthma by the follow-up had a significantly lower HRQL at baseline than those who did not develop asthma. Significant determinants of quality of life in asthma were female sex, smoking habits, higher airway responsiveness to irritants, respiratory symptom severity, positive skin prick test, and absenteeism from work or school. Low HRQL was related to increased mortality, but this association was not found when analyzing the asthmatic group alone. In conclusion, measurements of HRQL are of value for evaluating both the impact and progression of asthma. / <p>medicine doktorsexamen</p>

<p>Poremećaji disanja tokom spavanja (Sleep disordered breathing &ndash; SDB) obuhvataju spektar bolesti koje nastaju usled povećanog otpora u gornjem disajnom putu i reflektuje se na spavanje. Najveća podgrupa SDB su prekidi disanja tokom spavanja ili sleep apnea sindrom (Sleep Apnea Syndrome &ndash; SAS). SDB su prisutni kod 20% op&scaron;te populacije, dok je 82% mu&scaron;karaca i 93% žena koje imaju umerenu i te&scaron;ku OSA nedijagnostikovano. Kako osnovna dijagnostička metoda, polisomnografija, zahteva stručan kadar i adekvatnu laboratorijsku opermu nameće se potreba za brzom, efikasnom i jeftinom skrining metodom pri dijagnostici SAS. Cilj ove studije jeste da se uradi validacija i prevođenje &ldquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnika sa engleskog na srpski jezik i utvrdi njegova specifičnost i senzitivnost u odnosu na vrednosti AHI indeksa kod odraslih ispitanika pri dijagnostikovanju SAS i da se utvrdi senzitivnost i specifičnost &ldquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnika i Epfortove skale pospanosti zajedno. Istraživanje je u potpunosti sprovedeno u Centru za patofiziologiju disanja sa medicinom sna Instituta za plućne bolesti Vojvodine, Sremska Kamenica. Studijsku grupa se sastojala od 102 ispitanika koji su popunjavali oba upitnika, a potom je svima urađena polisomnografija. Testiranje &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnikom, kao i retest nakon mesec dana uradilo 30 ispitanika. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da su u uzorku dominirale osobe mu&scaron;kog pola 69,6%. Prosečna starost je iznosila 50,1&plusmn;13,8 godina. Najveći broj ispitanika je imao poremećaj disanja tokom spavanja (73,5%). Prema stepenu težine najveći broj ispitanika (30,4%) je bolovao od te&scaron;kog oblika (apnea/hipopnea indeks- AHI&gt;30), a prema tipu poremećaja dominirali su opstruktivni poremećaji sa 66,7% u ukupnom uzorku. Prekomerna dnevna pospanost, merena Epfortovom skalom pospanosti, bila je prisutna kod 58,8% ispitanika i korelirala je sa stepenom težine poremećaja (r=0,43). Dobijena senzitivnost i specifičnost za &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnik je iznosila 62,7% i 51,9% respektivno. &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnik je preveden na srpski jezik, a zatim je urađen test i retest upitika gde nije bilo razlike u odgovorima. Dobijena je granična vrednost za &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnik koja iznosi 4.5, a senzitivnost i specifičnost testa za različit stepen težine SAS je zadovoljavajuća i iznosila je 70,7%/66,7% za laku, 78,6% /60,9% za umerenu i 87,4%/ 50,7% za te&scaron;ku sleep apneu. Pri poređenju oba upitnika zajedno dobijena je bolja specifičnost 85,2%, 76,1%, 69,0% ali lo&scaron;ija senzitivnost 53,3%, 58,9% ,71,0% za laku , umerenu i te&scaron;ku sleep apneu respektivno u grupi ispitanika koji su imali vrednosti oba upitnika iznad graničnih vrednosti. U grupi ispitanika gde je jedan od upitnika imao vrednosti iznad granične vrednosti dobijena je bolja senzitivnost ali lo&scaron;ija specifičnost u odnosu na samo &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnik. Istraživanjem je utvrđen skrining metod -&ldquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnik, koji stratifikuje pacijente na osnovu kliničkih simptoma, fizičkog pregleda i prisustva faktora rizika, na one pacijente sa visokim rizikom kojima treba hitno uraditi polisomnografiju i uputiti ih dalje na lečenje i na one kojima polisomnografija nije potrebna.</p> / <p>Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) includes a spectrum of diseases occurring due to an increased resistance in the upper airway, which affects sleeping. The major SDB subgroup is sleep apnea syndrome (SAS). SDB is present in 20% of the general population, and among the subjects with a moderate or severe SAS, 82% of males and 93% of females remain undiagnosed. Since polysomnography - the basic diagnostic method, requires a well-trained staff and adequate laboratory equipment, the need for a fast, efficient and cheap screening method in the diagnosis of SAS has breen imposed. Objectives of the study are to evaluate and translate the &ldquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire from English to Serbian, establish its specificity and sensitivity in relation to the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) values while diagnosing SAS in adults, and to assess the cumulative sensitivity and specificity of the &ldquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. The investigation has been entirely carried out in the Lung Function and Sleep Medicine Centre of the Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica. The study cohort included 102 subjects who were all, having answered both questionnaires first, submitted to polysomnography. Thirty subjects were tested by the &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire, and retested a month later. Results of the investigation show the male sex predominated in the study sample (69.6%). The subjects&#39; mean age was 50.1&plusmn;13.8 years. Most subjects had SDB (73.5%). The majority of ther subjects (30.4%) had a serious SDB form (AHI&gt;30). Obstuctive disorders prevailed, registered in 66.7% of the study population. Excessive daily sleepiness, measured by the Epworth sleepiness scale, was registered in 58.8% of the examined subjects, correlating well to the disorder severity level (r=0.43). Sensitivity and specificity obtained for the &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire amounted to 62.7% and 51.9% respectively. The &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire was translated to Serbian first, followed by testing an retesting using the questionairre, providing no differences in the obtained answeres. The obtained cut-off value for the &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire was 4.5, and the test sensitivity and apecificity for different SAS severity levels were satisfactory, amounting to 70.7%/66.7% for mild, 78.6% /60,9% for moderate, and 87.4%/50.7% for severe sleep apnea. The cumulative comparation of the two questionnaires has disclosed a better specificity of 85.2%, 76.1%, and 69.0%, but a worse sensitivity of 53.3%, 58.9%, and 71.0% for a mild, moderate and severe sleep apnea respectively in the group of subjects whose values for both questionnaires exceeded the cutoffs. In the group of subjects with one of the questionnaire values exceeding the cutoffs, a better sensitivity but a worse specificity were obtained related to only the &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire. The investigation has established the screening method &ndash; the &ldquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire which (on the basis of the clinical symptoms, physical examination and present risk factors) stratifies the patients into the high risk group requiring urgent polysomnography and referral for further treatment, and to those requiring no polysomnography.</p>

Background: Currently, participation in the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (NHSBCSP) is poor, with around half of all people invited returning their (FOBT) kits. The research programme aimed to investigate whether a general practitioner’s (GP) letter encouraging participation and a detailed leaflet explaining how to complete the (FOBT) included with the invitation materials would improve uptake. Methods: The research programme was divided into three phases which were designed to sequentially develop and evaluate the two interventions. The initial and second phases developed and refined the two interventions and the trial outcome measures with previous participants and stakeholder representatives. The final phase was a randomised 2x2 factorial trial conducted with people invited to screening in October 2009. Participants were randomised to either a GP’s endorsement letter and/or a detailed procedural leaflet with their FOBT kit. The primary outcome was verified participation in the NHSBCSP. Questionnaires were also used to evaluate participant perceptions of CRC screening and GPs views on involvement with the NHSBCSP. Results: The factorial trial demonstrated both the GP’s endorsement letter and the detailed procedural leaflet increased participation in the NHSBCSP. In the intention-to-treat analysis, participation improved by 6% for the detailed procedural leaflet and 5.8% for the GP endorsement letter 20 weeks after receipt of the FOBT kit. The random effects logistic regression model confirmed that there was no important interaction between the two interventions, and estimated an adjusted rate ratio of 1.11 (P=0.038) for the GP’s letter and 1.12 (P=0.029) for the leaflet. The per protocol analysis indicated that the insertion of an electronic GP’s signature on the endorsement letter was associated with increased participation (P=0.039). Conclusions: Including both an endorsement letter from each patient’s GP and a detailed procedural leaflet could increase participation in the NHSBCSP by around 10%, a relative improvement of 20% on the current participation rate. Both interventions were well-received by participants and there was minimal impact on GP workload.

A large number of elective surgical patients in Sweden and elsewhere have their surgical procedure performed in a day surgery context. The surgical care event, with its postoperative surveillance, is brief at the surgery unit and patients are discharged home with the intention that they should manage postoperative recovery mainly themselves. However, several patients attest to being in an exposed situation when assuming responsibility for recovery at home. The overall aim of this thesis was to attain comprehensive knowledge of postoperative recovery following day surgery from a patient perspective. A questionnaire, the Post-discharge Surgical Recovery scale, was translated into Swedish and evaluated regarding its psychometric properties in a Swedish context. A sample of 607 day surgery patients who had undergone orthopaedic, general or gynaecological surgery self-rated their recovery at postoperative Days 1, 7 and 14 using the Post-discharge Surgical Recovery scale and the Quality of Recovery-23. Health-related quality of life was assessed before and 30 days after the surgical procedure, using the EQ-5D. In a second sample, 31 patients were interviewed in their homes regarding their recovery after day surgery. The interviews were conducted on postoperative Days 11-37, and focused on the meaning of recovery, self-care and perceptions of recovery. Data were explored by means of a phenomenographic analysis. The Post-discharge Surgical Recovery scale showed satisfactory psychometric properties when used among Swedish day surgery patients. Following discharge, recovery included both physical and emotional perspectives. Recovery varied, and influencing factors were found to be type of surgery, age, perceived health and emotional status on the first postoperative day. Orthopaedic patients had a more protracted recovery process compared to general surgery and gynaecological patients, along with more postoperative pain and lower health-related quality of life. Patients perceived that postoperative recovery comprised different internal and external factors and a large amount of responsibility regarding their recovery and surgical outcome. To be prepared for recovery at home, patients wanted knowledge and understanding about the normal range of recovery following their specific surgical procedure, and needed support from different sources in their surroundings. This thesis provides insight into day surgery patients’ postoperative situation. Based on the studies, individualized and well thought-out support appears favourable in order to have confident and well prepared patients at home. In contrast to smooth and easy patient care at the surgery unit, the postoperative phase seems to be a weak link in the day surgical continuity of patient care. Postoperative care needs to be further improved to increase quality and patients’ overall satisfaction with the day surgical experience. Attention should be paid to patients’ physical and emotional resources and needs.

The prevalence of respiratory symptoms indicative of asthma in children from Latin America has been largely ignored. As part of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), 17 centers in 9 different Latin American countries participated in the study, and data from 52,549 written questionnaires (WQ) in children aged 13-14 years and from 36,264 WQ in 6-7 year olds are described here. In children aged 13-14 years, the prevalence of asthma ever ranged from 5.5-28%, and the prevalence of wheezing in the last 12 months from 6.6-27%. In children aged 6-7 years, the prevalence of asthma ever ranged from 4.1-26.9%, and the prevalence of wheezing in the last 12 months ranged from 8.6-32.1%. The lower prevalence in centers with higher levels of atmospheric pollution suggests that chronic inhalation of polluted air in children does not contribute to asthma. Furthermore, the high figures for asthma in a region with a high level of gastrointestinal parasite infestation, and a high burden of acute respiratory infections occurring early in life, suggest that these factors, considered as protective in other regions, do not have the same effect in this region. The present study indicates that the prevalence of asthma and related symptoms in Latin America is as high and variable as described in industrialized or developed regions of the world. / Revisión por pares